(a)The department shall by rule or regulation prescribe uniform criteria for its own use and that of local governing authorities in assessing whether elimination of a grade crossing on a public road by physical removal of the grade crossing and barricading or removing the approaches thereto without construction of an underpass or overpass is reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety. For purposes of this Code section, "reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety" means that the enhancement of public safety resulting from such elimination of the grade crossing will outweigh any inconvenience to the reasonable passage of public traffic, specifically including without limitation emergency vehicle traffic, caused by such rerouting of traffic. Such criteria shall include
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(a) The department shall by rule or regulation prescribe uniform criteria for its own use and that of local governing authorities in assessing whether elimination of a grade crossing on a public road by physical removal of the grade crossing and barricading or removing the approaches thereto without construction of an underpass or overpass is reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety. For purposes of this Code section, "reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety" means that the enhancement of public safety resulting from such elimination of the grade crossing will outweigh any inconvenience to the reasonable passage of public traffic, specifically including without limitation emergency vehicle traffic, caused by such rerouting of traffic. Such criteria shall include consideration of each of the following factors: (1) Number and timetable speeds of passenger trains operated through the crossing; (2) Number and timetable speeds of freight trains operated through the crossing; (3) Distance to alternate crossings; (4) Accident history of the crossing for the immediately preceding five-year period; (5) Type of warning device present at the crossing, if any; (6) The alignments, horizontal and vertical, of the roadway and the railroad and the angle of the intersection of those alignments; (7) The average daily traffic volume in proportion to the population of the municipality if the crossing is located within a municipality or the population of the county if the crossing is located within an unincorporated area of a county; (8) The posted speed limit over the crossing; (9) The effect of closing the crossing upon access by persons utilizing: (A) Hospital or medical facilities and public health departments, specifically including without limitation utilization by medical personnel; (B) Facilities of federal, state, or local government, specifically including without limitation court, postal, library, sanitation, and park facilities; and (C) Commercial, industrial, and other areas of public commerce; (10) Any use of the crossing by: (A) Trucks carrying hazardous material; (B) Vehicles carrying passengers for hire; (C) School buses; (D) Emergency vehicles; or (E) Public or private utility vehicles, specifically including without limitation water, sewer, natural gas, and electric utility maintenance and repair vehicles; and (11) Any other relevant factors as prescribed by the department. (b) (1) Any railroad may file a written petition requesting an order to eliminate a grade crossing on a public road by physical removal of the grade crossing and barricading or removing the approaches thereto without construction of an underpass or overpass. Any such petition shall be filed by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested, with the department in respect to the state highway system, a county governing authority in respect to its county road system, or a municipal governing authority in respect to its municipal street system. (2) Any petition by a railroad under this subsection shall include without limitation information as to each of the factors set forth in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (a) of this Code section. (3) The department or the local governing authority, whichever is applicable, shall conduct a public hearing on the matter prior to deciding whether to grant or deny such a petition. (4) (A) No railroad shall have a duty to file a petition for elimination of a grade crossing as authorized by this subsection. (B) Neither the failure of a railroad to file such a petition nor any decision by the department or any local governing authority regarding such a petition shall give rise to a cause of action against the railroad, the department, or a local governing authority by a person for injuries or damages arising from the existence or use of such crossing. (c) (1) If the department in respect to the state highway system, a county governing authority in respect to its county road system, or a municipal governing authority in respect to its municipal street system determines that elimination of a grade crossing in accordance with this Code section is reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety, the department or the local governing authority may issue an order to eliminate the crossing. Such order shall be in writing, and a copy shall be served upon the railroad. If a local governing authority issues such an order, it shall make a record of its findings and transmit a copy of the same along with the order to the department. (2) If the department in respect to the state highway system, a county governing authority in respect to its county road system, or a municipal governing authority in respect to its municipal street system determines that elimination of a grade crossing in accordance with this Code section is not reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety, the department or the local governing authority may issue an order denying a petition to eliminate the crossing. Such order shall be in writing, and a copy shall be served upon the railroad. If a local governing authority denies a petition, it shall make a written record of its findings and transmit a copy of the same along with the order and petition to the department. (3) (A) Any railroad aggrieved by an order of a local governing authority under this subsection may make a written request to the department for review of such order. Such request shall be accompanied by a $500.00 filing fee. The department shall within 60 days after the filing of such request review the matter. (B) Upon review of the order and findings of the local governing authority and any filings by the railroad, if the department determines that elimination of a grade crossing in accordance with this Code section is not reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety, the department shall order that the crossing shall remain open. (C) Upon review of the order and findings of the local governing authority and any filings by the railroad, if the department determines that elimination of a grade crossing in accordance with this Code section is reasonably necessary in the interest of public safety, the department shall issue an order to eliminate the crossing. (D) Any such order of the department shall be in writing, and a copy of the order shall be served upon the railroad and the local governing authority. As part of such order, the department shall assess all its costs of investigating and reviewing the matter against the railroad if an order for the crossing to remain open is issued or against the county or municipality if an order to eliminate the crossing is issued, and the party so assessed shall be liable therefor to the department; provided, however, that any filing fee paid to the department by a railroad shall be applied to any such amount assessed against the railroad, and the balance of such filing fee, if any, shall be refunded to the railroad. The department shall keep detailed records of its costs of investigation and review for purposes of this subparagraph, and such records shall be subject to public inspection as provided by Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50. (d) If an order to close a grade crossing is issued, the railroad shall at its expense physically remove the crossing from the tracks and for two feet beyond the ends of the crossties on each side and extending four feet beyond the traveled way or flush with the edge of a paved shoulder, whichever is greater, of such crossing and erect a department approved barricade; and the department in respect to the state highway system, the county in respect to its county road system, or the municipality in respect to its municipal street system may at its expense remove approaches to the crossing. The provisions of Code Section 32-6-195 for division of costs of elimination of a grade crossing by construction of an underpass or overpass shall not apply to elimination of any grade crossing under this Code section.